


Old Great-Uncle Had a Farm

by ineedmysickfix



Series: The Magnus Archives: Stardew Valley AU [1]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game), The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, GNC jonathan sims, Gen, He/Him and They/Them Pronouns for Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Librarian Jon, No Fear Entities (The Magnus Archives), No spookiness, Stardew Valley AU, alternative universe, farmer Martin, farming and living in a quaint town with nice neighbors only
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:14:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29718417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineedmysickfix/pseuds/ineedmysickfix
Summary: Martin sighed as he stared out the window, watching as acres of fields rushed past. He had little to no idea who this great uncle was; when asked about him, Martin's mother had just said his name was Glenn and he’d met him when he was a toddler. And since he lived so far away, she never saw a reason to visit or even talk about him. Why he included Martin in his will even though they’d only met once when he was a child was beyond him.-------------------Martin inherits a farm from a great uncle he didn't even know he had and moves from the bustling streets of London to a small cabin in the countryside. There, he meets a wide array of people and learns that running an entire farm singlehandedly isn't the easiest task.
Series: The Magnus Archives: Stardew Valley AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2184063
Comments: 12
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been wanting to write this AU for a while and it's mainly because I've been doing a full tma relisten while playing sdv.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been wanting to write this AU for a while and it's mainly because I've been doing a full tma relisten while playing sdv.

Summary:(P4) Martin inherits a farm from a great uncle he didn't even know he had and moves from the bustling streets of London to a small cabin in the countryside. There, he meets a wide array of people and learns that running an entire farm singlehandedly isn't the easiest task.

To say that Martin’s relationship with his mother was strained would be putting it lightly. But to put it bluntly: she hated him. Martin knew that she cared, she had cared for him since the day he was born, but he felt more like a chore for his mother than a son. They were never close, still aren’t if he was being honest. But at least they had each other. And, well, after his father left, Martin really didn’t want his mother to be alone.

She hadn’t told Martin much about her family; she never mentioned any siblings so he assumed she didn’t have any, same with cousins or aunts or uncles, and in a short moment of vulnerability she had told him about her parents dying before he was born. So the only family Martin really knew of was his mother and it solidified his belief that if he ever had to leave, she’d be completely alone. But it was a complete surprise when his mother suddenly called him to say that his great uncle had put him in his will, leaving him a house and a huge plot of farmland. It was even more surprising when he soon found himself traveling to the countryside, heading over to his new estate.

He'd be lying is he said he hadn't worried about moving so far from his mother but she immediately brushed him off as usual and pushed him to go for it, claiming that it'd be best for them to have some space between them. He hesitated but eventually agreed. It was easy enough to sort out everything, sign all the necessary paperwork, pack his life up and hop on a train to this mystery farm.

Martin sighed as he stared out the window, watching as acres of fields rushed past. He had little to no idea who this great uncle was; when asked about him, Martin's mother had just said his name was Glenn and he’d met him when he was a toddler. And since he lived so far away, she never saw a reason to visit or even talk about him. Why he included Martin in his will even though they’d only met once when he was a child was beyond him. 

The scenery outside changed from rolling fields to a more crowded woodland area and the train eventually slowed to a stop. Martin looked up when his stop was announced and hastily grabbed his bags. Stepping off of the train, Martin squinted against the bright sun and it took a second for his eyes to adjust. Looking around, the “train station” was nothing more than a wooden platform, ticket machine, and a few benches on a small field of grass dotted with a few trees and bushes.

“Ah, you must be Martin Blackwood,” Martin jumped at the voice and whipped his head around until he spotted two people standing under the shade of a tree a few feet away. The two figures approached him seemed...nice? Or at least the woman wearing overalls and a flannel shirt with her curly hair tied into a wild ponytail looked friendly as she smiled and waved at Martin. The older man with slicked back graying hair and wearing an olive green button down tucked into gray slacks was a bit more intimidating. His steely eyes bore into Martin as he stopped in front of him with his hand out, “My name is Elias Bouchard, the mayor of Aspicio Town. I had known your great uncle for many years before he passed. He was a good man who put a lot of care into his farm, my condolences for your loss. And this is Georgina Barker, she’s the town’s carpenter and we’ve come to welcome you.”

Martin eyed the man (the _mayor_ apparently) and shook his hand, painfully aware of how sweaty his palm was. “Oh! Um, nice to meet you both. I wasn’t expecting there to be a welcome party, heh.”

“Well it’s rare for us to get any newcomers here,” the woman added in, “Let alone someone who’s gonna be taking on the task of fixing up that old farmhouse. Man, I do not envy you.”

“Yes. We here at Aspicio Town are a small community, and it’s not every day that someone new moves in. I’ve brought Georgina here with me because I thought it’d be a good idea for you two to get acquainted as she can help you with any future renovations you come across.” Elias spared the carpenter a glance before smiling, “Now come along, let’s get you to your new home.”

Elias turned around and started walking, not waiting for the others to follow. Martin nearly yelped when he felt a strong hand land on his shoulder, “Don’t mind him. He’s an old stick in the mud and it can take a while to get used to him. The name’s Georgie by the way. And I feel like we’re gonna be good friends” Georgie leaned over and grabbed one of Martin’s bags before following after Elias. “Let’s go, Martin, we’re burning daylight!”

Martin stared, dumbfounded at how within the first few minutes of arriving he had already met the mayor and made a potential friend. He huffed out a laugh and grabbed his suitcases as he jogged to catch up with Georgie.

“So, where are you from, Martin?” Georgie asked after a few moments of somewhat uncomfortable silence.

“Oh, I had a flat just outside of London.”

“Wow, city boy then,” Georgie playfully punched Martin’s arm, “What made you wanna move out here? I mean besides inheriting your great uncle’s farm. It’s usually the other way around; someone in the country packing up their whole life to move to the big city.”

Martin couldn’t help but smile at how friendly Georgie was being, “Well, in all honesty I wanted a change of pace. I was in between jobs after quitting my old office job and I was kind of sick of all the hustle and bustle of London. Also rent wasn’t super cheap where I was living so...yeah.”

“Luckily, your Great Uncle Glenn left you with his entire estate,” Elias cut in, not even turning around to look at him, “The cabin is completely furnished with working plumbing and electricity. Though it is rather small which is something Georgie could help you with if you ever want to expand. The only thing you’ll have to worry about is fixing up the farm itself.”

“Yup! I can expand the cabin, build you some barns and coops, add a few sheds if you need them,” Georgie smiled, “and I sell furniture too if what you were left with isn’t enough.” 

“Thank you! That’s very generous of you, Georgie.”

“Well, I mean, you’re gonna have to pay for the renovations and everything. I don’t work for free, you know.” Georgie shot Martin a smirk, before looking ahead, “Oh! We’re almost there.”

Martin followed Georgie’s gaze and soon enough he could see a small cabin a little ways away. He unknowingly picked up the pace until he was walking next to Elias, eager to see his new home and ready to start a new chapter in his life. He’d never farmed anything in his life but he’d been able to keep his house plants alive longer than anyone he knew...Maybe he should’ve planned a bit more before jumping the gun and moving here. 

“And here we are,” Elias stopped and waved his hand in a grand gesture, “Welcome to the farm.”

Martin’s timid smile faltered as he looked over the farm. He didn’t really know what he was expecting; a small cabin of course, maybe a large open field ready for crops. He was right about the cabin, though it was a bit shabby and run down it was still nice to have an entire house for himself. And there _was_ an open field but it was far from ready to plant anything in it. The soil was cracked and dry and there were weeds and tall patches of grass as far as Martin would see with scatterings of large rocks and full grown trees everywhere.

“Oh,” was all that Martin could muster as it occurred to him just how much work he signed up for. God he was not ready to tackle any of this, especially the aspect of having to cut down trees. Even if people have told him he looks like a lumberjack when he grows his beard out, chopping down a tree did not sound like an easy task. But at least he won’t have to worry about running out of firewood for a while.

“Yes, this old farm has seen better days. I remember it at its height. Your great uncle was very proud of this place.” Elias mused as he approached the cabin. He pulled out a key from his pocket and unceremoniously opened the front door. The inside of the cabin was about as nice as the outside. It was a single room with a door on the far wall that Martin hoped was a bathroom. There was a large, bare bed, a chest at the foot of it, a small round table with a couple of rickety chairs, and a grand fireplace in the corner. “Well, welcome to your _-ahem-_ humble abode. I’d like to apologize for not cleaning up before hand but-”

“Oh no, no, no! It’s alright, Mr. Bouchard. No need to worry!” Martin walked in followed by Georgie who let out a low whistle as she looked around. “It’s okay, I mean it’s not like I have much else to do besides sprucing up the place.”

“I think this place needs a bit more than a spruce up if you ask me,” Georgie quipped as she placed Martin’s bag on the table, “Well, I best be going. Just looking at this place is giving me some ideas so let me know when you want me to renovate this place. See you, Martin!”

“Bye, Georgie!” Martin waved as Georgie stepped out, leaving him alone with Elias. “Um, well, thank you again for showing me to the farm, Mr. Bouchard. I think I can take it from here. Not that I’m telling you to leave but I’m sure you’re a busy man and I don’t want to keep you for too long.”

Elias smiled as if he were amused by Martin’s ramblings, “It’s alright, Martin. I’m sure you’ve had a long journey and just want some time to rest. And please feel free to call me Elias. Do let me know if you need any assistance with anything. I know there isn’t a phone here but you can always find me wandering around town. And speaking of town, be sure to go and say introduce yourself to everybody. Word moves fast so everyone already knows about your arrival and I’m sure they’re all eager to meet you.”

Martin’s eyes widened at that statement. He knew that Georgie mentioned how small this town was but he didn’t realize news could travel so fast here. “Of course, Elias. I’ll be sure to say hi once I’ve settled down a bit more.” He’d probably have a few days before he’ll have to actually go and talk to people. He wasn’t the worst at mingling but he always preferred to keep to himself. But that’ll probably be difficult to do around here.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it then. Have a good day, Martin.” Elias bowed his head and turned to leave, closing the door behind him with a loud click of the lock. 

Looking around the room, Martin sighed. He was way over his head but it was too late to back out now. Martin walked over to the bed and carefully sat down on the ancient mattress, god he was going to have to sleep on this tonight. Was this really a good idea? He should’ve just sold the land. Then at least he’d have some extra money for rent.

Martin’s eyes landed on the chest and he got up. It was too late now so might as well get started. Opening the trunk, Martin found a variety of gardening tools. An axe, pickaxe, gardening hoe, watering can...a scythe? He carefully unloaded the tools and was about to close the chest when something caught his eye. Beneath everything, there was an envelope with his name written on it. Confused, Martin picked it up and turned it over. It only had his name written in neat cursive on the front and was sealed with wax. Martin shrugged and carefully opened it, finding a letter.

_Hello my dear Martin,_

_Sorry it’s been a while since we last saw one another. You were still in diapers and barely knew how to walk so I doubt you’ll even remember me. Well, apologies that that was the very last time we ever got to see each other. My old age crept up on me faster than I thought before I could plan a proper visit._

_Well, if you’re reading this then that means that I’ve passed on. and I’ve decided to give old Solum Farm to you, my boy. It must seem odd that you suddenly inherited land from a relative you didn’t even know existed but maybe you could count this as a blessing in disguise._

_As for why I chose you: I have no family of my own, thus no one to pass this farm to. I didn’t want to leave it to just anyone and while cleaning up the cabin I found a few old letters from your mom. I’m sure you’ll be able to find them somewhere around here. She always mentioned how well you were doing in school, or how loud and excitable you were, and what a fine young man you were growing up to be in the few letters she sent. It was very obvious how proud she was of you even if she wasn’t very outspoken about it. I was sad when the letters stopped coming but I’m sure it was because your lives were busy. I regret never sending any letters back but these are things that only occur to you when you’re old._

_This may seem odd but finding those letters again was like a sign from God himself and I felt it in my heart that I could entrust this place to you. Though it might just be my old brain telling me this is a good idea but it’s better than nothing. And I’m sure that you have grown into the fine young man your mother hoped for._

_Sorry again for suddenly dropping all this responsibility onto you and that I won’t be there to guide you. But hopefully you’ll be able to get some tips from my journal. It has just about everything you need to know for running this place, plus some extra information that may come in handy. And if you ever need help don’t be afraid to ask for help from the people in town._

_I hope you’ll find this place as peaceful and fulfilling as I did. But please remember to take care of yourself and to appreciate the people around you. I was so focused on my own life that I never had the chance to truly let anyone in. I hope you could learn from my mistakes._

_Your Great Uncle Glenn_

_P.S. If Elias and Peter are still around, give them my best regards_

A tear fell down Martin’s cheek and plopped onto the old paper. When did he start crying? He carefully folded up the letter and looked further into the chest, instantly finding an old leather bound journal with the words _Solum Farm_ embossed on the front. Opening the journal, Martin found a few letters addressed to his great uncle from...his mother. And behind them were a few pictures. He didn’t realize his mother even had these at some point. Looking them over, he blushed at the uncomfortable school uniform his younger self was wearing in the picture as he stood next to his mother, he couldn’t remember the last time she looked that happy, and next to her was his fath-

Martin turned the page abruptly and started flipping through the journal. It was packed with handwritten notes and entries; which crops worked best in different seasons, how to raise animals on the farm, a ton of recipes, the best fishing spots in the valley. His great uncle wasn’t kidding in his letter, this journal really had everything Martin needed to know. He closed the journal and stood up, surveying the room around him. 

“Well then, let’s get started,” Martin announced to no one in particular as he rolled up his sleeves and got to work. It was going to take some time getting this place back into shape, but Martin was feeling optimistic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is just the beginning of this cute little series so look forward to more!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martin goes into town and ends up meeting some of the locals as well as a familiar face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who left kudos and comments in the last chapter! Hope you enjoy this one!

The sun shone over the horizon, lighting up the vast unkempt farmland and beamed directly into Martin’s eyes, effectively waking him up better than any digital alarm could. Martin squinted against the irritating light and sat up in bed, making a mental note to buy curtains at some point. But wait, he had curtains, not that he ever really needed them as the buildings across the street would normally block out the morning sun. He rubbed at his eyes and reached out blindly for his glasses, confused when he couldn’t find them on his nightstand. Once they were on, he looked around and for a split second completely forgot where he was until it finally dawned on him. 

Right, he wasn’t in his London flat anymore. He was currently sat upon a grimy bare mattress covered with only a throw blanket in his new cabin. His aching body was a clear reminder that he’d spent the whole day yesterday cleaning up this one room house. All of the dust inside was ~~mostly~~ gone, the fireplace was cleared out now with a few book and trinkets sittin on the mantel, the tools from the chest were moved outside on the porch, his great uncle’s journal and the letters from his mum were tucked away under the clothes that he relocated to the chest, and even the windows were clear enough to see outside. Speaking of outside…

Martin hefted himself out of bed and stretched as he looked over the neglected land. The weeds, grass, rocks, and trees were still there, they hadn’t disappeared magically overnight as Martin had hoped. It was going to take _weeks_ to clean up everything, maybe even months. He sighed as he made his way to the (thankfully) clean and working bathroom to get ready for the day.

After washing up and getting dressed, Martin glanced around his room and came to one upsetting aspect of the house that he had somehow overlooked. He didn’t have a kitchen. He groaned as he looked at the stone fireplace and old kettle sat on its stand. How the hell had he not noticed until now? “Well,” Martin said aloud, “Looks like I’m going to have to go into town for food.” 

Grabbing his wallet, keys, and phone which surprisingly still had signal all the way out here, Martin strode out the door and nearly tripped on a small package left on the porch. He furrowed his eyebrows as he picked up the cardboard box, carefully wrapped up with twine and a folded up note attached to it. 

_Hey Martin!_

_Good morning, I hope you were able to sleep well in that rickety old cabin. I already came up with some designs to fix it up a bit so just stop by my place up in the mountain if you want. Also, I found some seeds while I was cleaning up! I think they should be in season so you can use them to kickstart the farm. But if you need more seeds or any other supplies, I’d suggest going to Keay’s Corner Shop in town. And while you’re there you can introduce yourself to everyone! See you around, Martin._

_Georgie_

_P.S. Town is east of the train station (forgot to mention that yesterday whoops!) so just head in the opposite direction of your farm on the trail. Remind me to give you a map of the area next time we meet up. :)_

Martin smiled as he pocketed the note and opened the box to find several packets of various seeds. Parsnips, strawberries, green beans, tulips, potatoes. He was sure he’d seen a section on seeds while browsing his great uncle’s journal last night. Turning back to the cabin, Martin fished out the journal from the chest at the end of his bed and sure enough, he found a section on the spring season. There was a list of different seasonal crops along with the best methods of taking care of them and how much they’ll sell for. Martin nodded to himself while reading. The way the journal was written made it seem so simple yet so complicated. 

“I might as well get started,” Martin said, grabbing the seeds and heading back outside. Surveying the land in front of him, he spotted a bit of empty patch next to a small pond near the cabin. “That looks like a good place for now.” The plot was free of any weeds or debris but the ground was cracked and dry. Nothing a little elbow grease couldn’t fix.

Martin looked from the small pond down to the journal, skimming it for where to even start. But as he read over the old written notes, Martin’s stomach growled, reminding him why he’d wanted to go out in the first place. “Oh, heh, right. Breakfast. Georgie mentioned a shop in town, maybe they sell food too.”

Closing the journal, Martin placed it and the seeds on the porch next to the gardening tools. The place was so far from anything so hopefully nobody was going to come and snoop around while he was gone. Though the thought calmed Martin’s anxious mind, he still made sure to lock the door behind him before setting out for town.

As Martin walked along the trail, he took the time to appreciate just how _nice_ everything looked. The cool morning breeze flowed through the tall trees, rustling the leaves in harmony with the tweeting birds. All the bushes, grass, and wildflowers brought a small smile to Martin’s face. Everywhere he looked was teeming with nature and life. He may have been very underprepared coming here, but the bright vivid nature was a nice change from the dull grays of the city.

After what felt like nearly an hour, but was realistically 20 minutes, the worn dirt trail gave way to paved cobblestone path and soon enough Martin spotted a large sign: _Welcome to Aspicio Town!_

Martin slowed his pace and took a few seconds to take in the whole town. Behind the sign were a few storefronts, one clearly a medical clinic and the one next to it had the words _Keay’s Corner Shop_ above the door. The stone path led to a central town square with a building that looked like a restaurant or something next to it. Glancing around more, Martin spotted a plethora of different houses, each similarly built but decorated to their owners tastes. Georgie had mentioned wanting to do renovations to his own home, did she work on these too? He hummed as he got closer to the store and wondered what sort of people lived in a town like this. It was quiet and far from any major cities so probably older folks and families he supposed.

A small bell chimed as Martin opened the door to the small shop. Inside was _cozy_ if he had to choose a word for it. The aisles of shelves were stocked with various items ranging from seeds to spices. On the side of the store sat a few shelves of fruits and vegetables. Well, the store technically sold food but without a kitchen Martin was a bit out of luck.

“Oh, hey there.” A voice emanated from somewhere behind the shelves and soon enough, Martin was face to face with someone new. They were tall, a bit taller than Martin, had long black dyed hair that went well past his shoulders and matched his black eyeliner and outfit. Martin didn’t realize he was staring until this person cleared their throat, looking down at the hand they had extended out to Martin. 

“You must be the new guy in town. The name’s Gerard but I prefer Gerry, nice to meet you.” And sure enough, amongst the various pins on Gerry’s black leather jacket was a nametag with the name ‘Gerard’ sat about a button saying ‘he/him/his’.

Martin smiled awkwardly as he shook Gerry’s hand, his eyes still roaming over Gerry’s outfit “Hi, Gerry. It’s nice to meet you too. I’m Martin, I moved into my great uncle’s farm just up the trail.”

“Martin. Cool, I finally have a name and a face for the new mystery neighbor,” Gerry smirked before heading over to the counter in the back of the shop, “So, word on the street is that you’re from London. I’m surprised someone like you moved into that old cabin. But it’s nice to see a fresh face around here.”

At the back of the store, Gerry walked around the checkout counter and knocked loudly on a door that Martin hadn’t noticed before, “Hey, Michael! The new guy’s here if you wanna meet him! Wait, he/him right?” Martin nodded and Gerry went back to knocking before stopping to just stare at the door for a second. After no answer, he turned to Martin, motioning for him to come closer, “Sorry, it’s just that Michael’s been telling me how excited he was about getting a new neighbor. Like I said, it’s nice to see a fresh face since everybody knows everybody in this town.”

“Oh, well, this place sounds like it has a very tight knit community,” Martin said as he approached the counter, “Gonna be a nice change from London if I’m gonna be honest. You know, since it’s such a big city and no one really bothers with chatting up with a stranger on the tube, I didn’t even talk to any of my neighbors back in my old flat or-”

The bell above the door chimed, signaling a new arrival and cutting off Martin’s rambling, “Morning, Gerry! Just here to pick up some ingredients for...oh, hello!”

“Hey, Tim. Come and meet the new guy, says he’s from London and didn’t like his old neighbors. Heh, just kidding, Martin.” Martin blushed at Gerry’s casual teasing and followed his gaze to the person who’d just entered. 

They were tall, roughly Martin’s height if not a few inches taller, wore a simple gray t-shirt and jeans, and had the brightest smile plastered on their face. The person waved as they approached Martin and promptly patted him on the back, “New guy! Welcome to town! I’m Tim Stoker, I own the bar next to town square. But we also serve the best food this side of the mountains.” Tim strode over next to Martin, slinging an arm over his shoulder as if they’d been friends for years, “It’s always nice to get a new neighbor, and it’s especially nice to get a potential regular at my bar.”

Martin froze, completely at a loss at what to do in this situation. Luckily, the bell above the door chimed and a familiar voice called out, “Tim, leave him alone, you’re scaring him!” Martin sighed in relief as Tim reluctantly stopped and looked over to see Georgie striding over to the two of them, with another person in tow. “Good morning, Martin! Glad to see you got my note. And don’t worry about Tim, he’s a nice guy and literally almost everybody in town is a regular at his bar since it’s the only restaurant within half an hour of this town,” Georgie directed the last part more at Tim than Martin.

“No, no, it’s fine. Um, I’m just glad to start meeting all the neighbors.” Martin smiled awkwardly, his eyes shifting to the person standing next to Georgie as they scrolled on their phone.

“Oh!” Georgie took the hint and elbowed the person next to her, “Martin, this is my girlfriend Melanie King. She likes to study the natural wildlife around here. As well as the more _supernatural_ wildlife.”

Melanie scowled at Georgie as she looped their arms together, “Ha ha, yeah. Well just so you know, I’ve been able to record a number of occurrences here in the valley that have no scientific explanation thank you very much.”

Martin tried not to laugh at how serious Melanie sounded, “That sounds pretty cool to me. I mean there’s tons of weird things out in the world and I’ve honestly been getting a rather spooky vibe from the old farm, heh.”

“Really?” Melanie’s head shot up and whipped over to Martin, “What kind of vibes? Do you think I could get some readings of your farm some time?”

“Woah, hey, pull back a bit, Melanie. Give poor Martin some time to relax and get used to his new home first.” Martin was so grateful that Georgie was one of the first people he met here. “Speaking of your new home, how is it? Manage to clean up a bit?”

“Oh yeah, mainly the cabin though. I’ll have to take up your offer to expand it at some point. I didn’t even realize I didn’t have a kitchen until this morning.”

“You don’t have a kitchen?!” Tim shouted from where he was picking out spices from the shelf. “That sounds awful. Hmm, I think I know one way to help rectify that!”

“Help pay for a new kitchen?” Melanie quipped.

“No no no, a welcome party! I can whip up some food tonight and invite everyone in town so you’ll have dinner and the opportunity to meet the neighbors!”

“Oh? Um, that, uh, that sounds like fun?” Martin stuttered. This was so much so fast. The people here were really friendly and casual with one another already. He already felt like an outsider on his first day here. “But you don’t have to, Tim. I don’t want to intrude in any way.”

“Nonsense! It’ll be fun. And again, you’ll get some food to go _and_ meet everybody. Get to kill two birds with one stone!” Tim flashed a smile over to Martin as he casually paid for his items. “Now that I have my mind set on it so consider it done. See you tonight, Marto! Georgie, Melanie, and Gerry, feel free to swing by any time past 6, I should have everything ready by then.”

With that, Tim strode out of the store, leaving everyone else in a somewhat awkward silence. After a minute, Georgie laughed and moved to the shelves, picking out various items and handing them off to Melanie. Martin, still stuck in a stupor, walked over to the produce section, picked up a few apples for breakfast, and went to pay for them.

As he paid, Gerry gave him a sly smile, bagging the items and handing them off to Martin. “Well, looks like I’ll be seeing you tonight.”

“Yeah, um, see you tonight.” Martin stammered as he grabbed the bag and his change before turning and heading out the door.

* * *

Once back in the cabin, Martin threw the bag of apples onto the table and plopped into a chair. He groaned and buried his head in his hands as the events in the shop replayed in his mind. He didn’t necessarily _hate_ parties, but he just never went out of his way to go to them even when he was invited. Even when he was there, the few people he knew would always abandon him to talk to other people and he’d end up spending the entire time alone. The chair groaned as Martin leant back and stared at the ceiling, debating if he should go or not.

His stomach growled and he reached over to grab an apple from off the table. As he took a bite and munched on the fruit, Martin sighed. He’s probably going to have to go since Tim was throwing the party for him. That was actually rather nice of him to do that so it’d be pretty rude to not show up to. After a few more bites, Martin stood up and walked up to the window, taking in the sight of the unruly land just outside. He glanced to the clock hung above the door _7:25_ , still fairly early in the day. He must’ve woken up around 6 this morning. 

Martin finished his first apple and tossed the core in the bin. He still had roughly 11 hours to kill before he had to head back into town. Another look at the endless weeds that covered the land outside pulled an irritated sigh out of Martin. “Might as well try to put a dent in all this. Then maybe I could plant some of those seeds Georgie gave me.” 

Stepping out of the cabin, Martin assessed the field in front of him and went to grab one of his gardening tools. He eventually picked up the scythe, surprised at how sharp it still was. Starting with the weeds seemed like the best first step; start with the easiest task then work his way up. And hopefully he won’t be too tired once 6 o’clock rolls around. Martin pulled out his phone, setting an alarm for 5:30 as he stepped off of his front porch and got to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit slow since I'm still kind of world building but I already have the next one in the works so look forward to it. <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party time!
> 
> Martin cleans up the farm a bit more and gets to meet a few more friendly faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably set up an update schedule but inspiration strikes at the oddest of times lol

Martin stood up and cracked his back for what felt like the hundredth time that day. But it was absolutely worth it as he looked around the farm. Almost all of the weeds and grass were cut and in small piles around the field which made the grounds look more open and less cluttered. He smiled as he cut up the last of the overgrown grass, happy that a full day’s effort was able to actually yield some results. 

As Martin finished up and walked back over to the cabin, he pulled out his phone, surprised to see he still had a few hours to kill before Tim’s welcome party was set to start. At the thought of the party and the promise of food, Martin’s stomach grumbled loudly and with a start, he realized that the only food he’d had that day was a single apple. He was amazed that he hadn’t keeled over at some point today. Martin ascended the few steps onto the porch, dropped the scythe in his hands next to the other tools, and opened the front door to his small cabin. 

Once inside, Martin gave a sigh of relief and nearly ran to the small table, his hunger finally catching up with him. He grabbed the small shopping bag and reached inside for one of the apples he bought, but paused when he felt his hand brush against something. Peering inside, Martin was surprised to see a small premade salad in a plastic container. He remembered seeing them on display next to the produce in Gerry’s shop but he didn’t think he grabbed one while he was there. Picking it up, Martin noticed a sticky note attached to it.

_Consider this my welcome present from me to you. I’m pretty sure you’re gonna need it since you mentioned not having a kitchen and I doubt you’ll be able to survive the entire day on apples alone. Hopefully you have a fork or something to eat this with. If not, sorry mate._

_Gerry Keay_

Martin hastily opened the container and searched around the cabin for the small set of silverware he packed as he read the note. He’d been too dazed after meeting Tim to really think about what he was buying so it was very generous of Gerry to sneak this into his stuff. Even though it was a gift, Martin wanted to repay him for it at some point.

“There you are!” Martin exclaimed triumphantly when he finally located a fork in the chest under all his clothes. He quickly sat down at his table and tucked in, trying to balance his desire to finish as quickly as possible and wanting to take the time to enjoy his food. In the end, hunger won and he finished his salad along with another apple in no time flat. 

Leaning back in the old wooden chair, Martin glanced at the clock to see that eating barely took 10 minutes and he still had about an hour and a half until he had to leave. “I probably should clean up all the grass I cut up,” Martin mused aloud to himself. The grass and weeds he’d cut still needed to be disposed of, then after that he could probably get cleaned up himself. Looking down at his jeans and t-shirt, Martin cringed at how grimy they’d gotten without him really noticing. Yeah, he’ll definitely need to clean up before the party. 

Martin stood up and tossed his trash into the bin as he moved out of the cabin. He stretched and took a big breath as he took one last glance around the farm. It looked so much better without the overgrown plants everywhere; should he work on getting rid of some of the rocks tomorrow? Or maybe he could start on actually farming, there was enough space to plant some starter seeds. With one final stretch, Martin set to work on bagging up the grass and weeds. He could worry about the next step tomorrow. For now, he just had a party to look forward to.

* * *

Martin stared at his reflection in the small mirror above the bathroom sink. He’d finished up his cleaning, took a shower, and it was nearly time to leave for the party. His outfit was...a bit on the plainer side but he didn’t really know what sort of outfit was expected at this party. Though based on Gerry’s goth getup, he didn’t think anyone would’ve minded much. And he was sure no one was going to be super critical on his maroon knit sweater and jean combo. At least he hoped no one would be. 

As Martin attempted to tame his wild curls into something that resembled a decent hairstyle, he mused over what the other townspeople were like. Hopefully they would be as nice as Georgie, Gerry, and Tim. Melanie seemed nice too but she came off a bit too strong. Martin laughed at the memory of her wanting to inspect his farm for ghosts. Though, Martin may take her up on that offer only if it meant getting to know her better.

With his hair and outfit settled, Martin hung around his cabin, still a bit anxious over meeting his new neighbors. What if he just got lucky in meeting all the nice people first and everyone else weren’t going to be as welcoming? What if they didn’t _want_ a new neighbor? Especially one from the city. Gerry joked about him not liking his old neighbors to Tim but what if Tim took that as the truth? Word apparently traveled fast so what if that’s _everyone’s_ first impression of him?

Martin sat down on his bed and tried to get his breathing under control. No, he had to stop thinking like this. His neighbors must be nice. And if they weren’t, then he at least had Georgie and Gerry to talk to. 

With one last glance at the clock, Martin stood up and walked outside before he got cold feet and decided to just not go to the party. He locked the door, descended the small staircase, and began his trek back into town. But before he crossed the threshold of the farm, something caught Martin’s eye, glinting on the ground a few feet away. Walking over, he bent down and grabbed the small object, turning it over carefully in his hand.

Martin’s eyes widened as he looked over the small metallic chunk in his hand, “Is- is this gold?!” The mineral in his hand was small, barely the size of his pinky finger. The dull yellow coloring caught the light of the sun and reflected the light brilliantly. “Oh my god. This is- what?” He stared dumbfoundedly at his treasure, trying to process what he was seeing. Is there _more_ somewhere on this farm? God, if there was he was more than glad that he’d agreed to come here. Maybe he could forget farming and start looking for more gold around here.

The sound of a bird singing its song snapped Martin out of his thoughts. He glanced down at the gold in his hand, pocketing it before continuing his walk to town. He could worry about that later. Or maybe there’ll be someone there who could confirm his findings. But maybe they’ll want to take advantage of him, wanting to get some gold for themselves...he should probably just ask Georgie for her opinion.

* * *

The brickwork building next to townsquare seemed to loom over Martin as he stood outside the door. The sign above the door read _Aspicio Saloon_ with a small sign on the door: _OPEN Come on in, don’t be a stranger!_. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Martin stepped up and opened the door. Instantly he was hit with low lighting, a warm atmosphere, and a sea of people who’d turned to look at him the second he entered.

“Hey, there he is! The man of the hour, Martin Blackwood!” Martin’s eyes darted around the room before landing on Tim standing behind the bar. “Come in, come in! Grab a seat,I made one of everything on the menu so you can eat as much as your heart desires. Or at least as much as your stomach allows.”

Tim flashed him a bright smile as he wiped down the counter. The different enticing aromas lured Martin over and he got a good look at just how much food there was. Platter after platter lined the entire bar counter, from curries to puddings and a huge assortment of baked goods, Martin didn’t know where to start.

“I’d recommend the shepherd’s pie. I’ve never found another pie as good as Tim’s.” Martin jumped at the voice and whipped his head around, relieved to see Gerry approaching him with someone following close behind. “Glad you could make it, Martin. I was getting worried that Tim scared you off.”

“Heh, yeah. He did come on a bit strong at first but I’m glad I came, this food looks incredible,” Martin replied as he reached for a plate.

“Yes, the food here is divine,” The person next to Gerry chimed in. “Oh but where are my manners. Michael Shelley, I help run Keay’s Corner Shop alongside Gerry.”

“ _Help_ ,” Gerry scoffed, “If it wasn’t for him I’m sure the shop would’ve gone bankrupt the second I took over. I swear, Michael’s actually the one in charge. I just follow his lead.”

Martin smiled at the small interaction and waved at Michael. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you Michael. Gerry mentioned you when I was buying some food earlier. Oh and thanks for the salad, Gerry. You really saved me from starving earlier, heh.”

Michael gave Martin a knowing smile, his lips curling up at the ends and matching his waves of long, curly blond hair. As Martin looked over Michael and back to Gerry, he was surprised that they got along as well as they seemed to. Gerry wore the same all black outfit that he wore earlier that day and it completely contrasted with Michael’s colorful ensemble. His chest length curls matched his bright purple turtleneck tucked into a pair of green corduroy trousers that flared out, barely covered a pair of nice black boots. The colors weren’t the best combination but he was somehow able to pull it off.

“Well, we won’t keep you for too long. You still have the whole rest of the town to meet.” Gerry said, casually gesturing to the rest of the party.

“Right, well, thank you again! And I’ll catch you two around.” Martin watched as Michael dragged Gerry off to the other end of the bar, happy that his list of friendly neighbors was slowly growing. He smiled as he grabbed whatever food caught his eye and he grabbed a seat at the bar, ready to dig into his small feast.

“Hey Martin, there’s someone I wanted you to meet!” Tim’s voice cut through the air once more and Martin looked up from his plate of food to see Tim waving at him as someone knew stood next to him. The two approached as he quickly shoved a handful of chips into his watering mouth. “Martin Blackwood, this is _Doctor_ Sasha James M.D. She’s single handedly in charge of taking care of everyone in town.”

“Oh shove off, Tim.” Sasha laughed as she playfully punched his arm. She smiled at Martin and waved, “But yeah, he’s right. I run the small medical clinic next to Gerry’s shop and I do technically help take care of everyone here. So if you get injured on that farm of yours, my door’s always open.”

Martin smiled at Sasha’s happy demeanor and nodded, “Sounds great. So, how long have you lived here? Almost everyone I’ve met so far is pretty young but it seems like they’ve lived here for a while.”

“I’ve been here pretty much my whole life. There’s a handful of us that basically grew up here. My parents originally ran the clinic and when they retired, I took over. And Gerry’s family has owned that shop for as long as anyone could remember,” Sasha explained.

“Yeah, and my folks owned this place too. Then they handed it off to my younger brother and me,” Tim’s smile grew sad as he spoke, “But Danny really didn’t want to be tied down so he moved out a couple years ago. Actually, I think he’s living in London right now.”

“Oh wow, small world,” Martin said, his mouth full of the best tasting beef stew he’d ever had. 

“It looks like you’re enjoying the food so far,” Sasha laughed. “I swear you’re making me want seconds. I better get some more food before it runs out. It’s nice meeting you, Martin. I hope to see you around. But hopefully you won’t need to stop by my clinic too often.” Sasha gave a cheeky wink as she walked away, eagerly making a beeline for a delicious looking chocolate cake.

Tim smiled as he watched her then turned to look at him, “So, having fun Marto?”

“I mean, it feels like I just got here but yes. Your food is really _really_ good and everyone’s been really nice so far.”

“That’s good to hear! Though I want to warn you, not everyone was able to make it so you haven’t met the whole town yet. But there people who are here are pretty great. Like Basira and Daisy over there,” Tim said pointing to two people standing near the other end of the bar, “They can be a bit harsh when you first meet them but they’re quick to warm up to you. Daisy runs a ranch in the forest nearby and I’m sure she’d be willing to sell some of her animals if you ever want to start raising livestock. And Basira is the mail carrier, though she kinda also doubles as this place’s unofficial sheriff since she’s always patrolling the town while doing her routes. This place is pretty peaceful for the most part but she still likes to make sure everyone's safe. I know you're practically best friends Georgie and Melanie now. And I’m sure you’ve met Elias already. He’s...kinda creepy if I’m being honest?”

Martin laughed at Tim’s honesty, “No, I swear! He’s so weird and I feel like he always knows everything going on in town. And the old sea captain sitting with him is Peter Lukas. Apparently his family owns a huge shipping company that deals with priceless artefacts or whatever but he chooses to spend his time running a small fishing shop down by the docks. So if you’re into fishing, he’s the man you’ll want to talk to. He’s alright, likes to keep to himself whenever he isn’t with Elias. Rumor has it they’re like married or divorced or something.”

Martin’s eyebrows shot up as he looked at the two sat in a booth a few yards away, trying to picture the two of them in any sort of relationship. “You know, I can kinda see it.” That got a laugh out of Tim and soon the two trying (and failing) to conceal their laughter. 

As they calmed down, Martin mulled over all the new information Tim had given him. There were a number of people he’ll probably have to talk to in the future if he wanted to properly take care of his farm. “Oh wait, Tim,” Martin said, reaching into his pocket for the item he’d found earlier, “Is there a blacksmith in town? I think I found some gold or something while cleaning up the farm and I wanted to see if it was genuine or not.”

Tim looked at the small rock in Martin’s hands and brought a hand up to rub as his chin, a pensive look washing over his face. “Yeah, you’re gonna want to talk to Jude Perry. But she’s a little intense if I’m being honest so you could put off having to talk to her for a while.” His gaze moved from the maybe gold to Martin’s face and he smirked, “You know, you could also go to the library. The guy who runs it is a genius. I’m sure he could identify that for you if you ask. And if it is valuable, then you could either keep it for yourself or donate it to the museum he’s trying to kickstart in the back of the library. He could use all the help he wants if you ask me.”

“Oh, that sounds cool. Thanks, Tim.” Martin smiled as he pocketed the mineral. “I’ll try to swing by there some time tomorrow.”

“Great! Let him know that Tim sent you his way,” Tim said with a wink. “I’m sure the two of you will get along just fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the characters introduced in this chapter are the ones I'm going to be using to further the plot along in this series. Though I do have a list of others I want to include in the future!
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy this chapter and get ready for Martin to meet the town's grouchy librarian 👀


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martin pays a visit to the local library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the moment we've all been waiting for!!!!  
> Hope y'all enjoy <3

_Thwack Thwack Thwack_ Martin’s arms strained with effort as his axe made contact with the chipped wood of the tree. He grunted and wiped his brow, inspecting the large dent he’d spent the last 20 minutes making. It seemed deep enough at that point and Martin was starting to get tired so he dropped the axe on the ground and decided to just push it the rest of the way. With his hands braced firmly against the tree, he pushed with all his might, his muscles protesting at the extra effort, until he heard a loud crack and quickly stepped out of the way to watch the young tree fall to the ground.

Martin stood with his hands on his hips, trying to catch his breath as he looked at the fallen tree. The time on his phone showed that he’d been out cleaning up the farm for nearly three hours and all he had to show for it were two downed trees. He didn’t even feel bothered enough to dig up the stumps or move the trees. A chime from his phone caught Martin’s attention and he was happy to see a text from Tim.

_Tim Stoker: mornin’ Farmer Blackwood! How’s the country life treating you today? :P_ Followed by a blurry selfie of Tim on a treadmill.

Martin smiled at the text, glad he’d remembered to exchange his number with his new friends at the party the night before. Opening up the camera app on his phone, Martin pointed it at himself with the fresh tree stump clearly visible in the background. With the most lackluster expression he could muster, Martin snapped a selfie and sent it off to Tim.

_Martin Blackwood: Just cut down a tree and I’m ready to sleep for the rest of the day_

As Martin set off the text, his eyes landed on the two trees he’d spent the morning chopping down. Maybe he could sell the wood since he didn’t really need that much for his fireplace. He sent a quick text to Georgie asking if she’d be interested in the extra wood before picking up his axe and moving onto another tree. There were roughly ten or so fully grown wild trees growing around the farm along with some newer saplings dotted around the area too. At the pace he was working at, Martin was pretty sure he’d have all of them cleared out in a few weeks. Then he’d just have to deal with the large rocks that somehow made their way here before he could even think about starting to plant anything...

His phone buzzed and he pulled it out, wanting a distraction from just how much work lay ahead.

_Tim Stoker: Woah look at you Mr. Strong Lumberjack Man. I do not envy you right now, I’d rather run an entire marathon than have to chop down an entire ass tree lol But if you want a break you can stop by the bar for some lunch. Or swing by the library and find out if that gold you found was real or not. It’s just a stone’s throw away from the bar and like I said the librarian is super smart, I’m sure he’d enjoy the extra company too ;)_

Martin looked at the text as he sat down beneath a tree. He wasn’t really that hungry so he could go to the bar later. Reaching into his pocket, he found the same small mineral from yesterday. It was now in a small plastic baggy that Martin hoped would help keep it safe. Carefully, he took it out and held it up, catching the sun on its reflective surface. He’d taken a bit of time that morning to polish it up and it shone brilliantly in the sunlight as he looked it over. 

There was a small part of him that hoped it really was gold, that he could scrap the idea of rebuilding this farm from the ground up and just tearing it apart to look for more valuable minerals. But at the same time his great uncle had entrusted him in this farm and he really didn’t want to let him down, even if he’d never met the man.

“Welp,” Martin grunted as he stood up, “Whether this is actually gold or not, it’s still a good idea to introduce myself to my new neighbors.” His mind wandered to the mysterious librarian Tim mentioned. If Tim got along with them then hopefully they were as nice as everyone else Martin has met so far.

* * *

The walk into town was as pleasant as always. The sun crept slowly to its highest point in the clear blue sky and the cool early spring breeze ruffled Martin’s loose curls. Was it possible for the weather to get any nicer? Martin wondered how the bright greens of the town would change as the months moved throughout the different seasons. The most he’d ever really experienced in London was rain, no rain, and the rare extreme heat waves so the thought of being able to actually experience the changing of the seasons made Martin giddy. 

Passing by Tim’s bar, Martin looked around and spotted an ancient looking building at the end of the path. “That must be the library, then.”

The closer Martin got, the more...run down and creepy the library looked. The deep green paint on the wooden exterior was sun faded and peeling, the singular window on the front was so caked with dust and dirt that it was almost impossible to see inside, the front garden was a mixture of dead potted plants and overgrown weeds, and Martin could barely make out the words on the rusted, weatherworn nameplate next to the front door _Magnus Memorial Library_.

If it wasn’t for the paper Open sign tacked on the front door, Martin would’ve thought this building was abandoned. Taking a breath, Martin reached for the antique brass doorknob and let himself into the library. There was no bell indicating Martin’s entrance, the door hinges didn’t even squeak, the still silence of the library was unbroken as Martin took his first steps inside.

Rows upon rows of paperbacks and hardcovers stacked on old wooden shelves lined the walls of the library, surrounding a few tables and chairs sat in the middle of the large room. In one of the far corners was a number of colorful bean bags next to a small dusty bookshelf filled with what looked like children’s books and for a split second Martin wondered if anyone in town even had any kids. A small reception desk sat a few feet away directly in front of Martin, the dark oak table looking like the only thing in the building that was looked after aside from the books. 

Looking around reminded Martin of the warm summers spent in his local library reading for hours on end and the few years he’d spent working at another library near his university. Being inside a library always helped to calm Martin down after a particularly stressful day. But the serene atmosphere of the room was abruptly ruined as Martin noticed the larger than life painting of an old man hung up on the wall behind the front desk. The man in the painting wore old victorian clothes and his eyes were cold and seemed to be able to look right into Martin’s soul. _Jonah Magnus, Founder of Aspicio Town. **Vigilo-Opperior-Audio**_

“Watch, wait, listen?” Martin’s latin was rusty but he was able to read the three words on the paintings nameplate. It certainly felt like someone was watching and listening to him as he stood there. Trying to ignore the nameplate and the creepy feeling it gave him, Martin moved further into the library, hoping to find the allusive librarian Tim had told him about. But the completely empty room seemed to be void of any life and Martin hoped that he hadn’t come while they stepped out.

“U-um, hello? Excuse me?” Martin shouted, “Is anyone here? Hello?”

“Shh! This is a _library_!” Someone shouted back in response. “What do you want?”

Martin followed the sound of the voice to a doorway tucked behind one of the bookshelves that he didn’t notice before. “Sorry! My name’s Martin Blackwood and I moved into the barn nearby. I actually came here to introduce myself and-” Martin’s words stuck in his throat as he passed through the doorway and caught sight of the source of the voice.

They were short, nearly a foot shorter than Martin, with long waves of black and silver that nearly reached their shoulders. Their golden glasses chain, black maxi skirt, and deep purple cardigan screamed grandmother but Martin found it completely endearing on them. In their hands was a small pile of books and for the briefest moment Martin wondered if their hands were as rough and worn as the outside of the library or as soft and smooth as the leather bound books they carried. Many of Martin’s few friends had always made fun of him for always being a hopeless romantic he was and they were absolutely right because he could’ve sworn that the world stood still as Martin looked at this breathtaking, mysterious stranger.

“So you’re the new neighbor everyone’s been talking about then?” Their gaze was almost as cold as the painting’s as they eyed Martin, one of their eyebrows slowly creeping its way up. But the sunlight hitting their brown eyes filled Martin’s chest up with warmth. 

A few moments passed as Martin struggled to construct just the right words to describe just how he felt as he looked at this person. Infatuated? Enamored? Smitten? And how on earth is he to describe how cute this person was? No, _cute_ didn’t cut it. Beautiful? Handsome? Enchanting? The cliche ‘shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ sprung into Martin’s mind and he quickly shook his head, remembering that he’d just been asked a question.

“O-oh, y-yes. I- um- like I said, I’m Martin Blackwood. My great uncle owns the farm out near town. Or, well, he _used_ to. He passed away recently and I was in his will and he left the farm to me so now it’s...mine?” Martin rambled, his hand fidgeting with the hem of his shirt before shooting up and extending out to the person in front of him. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Well, _Martin_ , my name is Jonathan Sims. I’m the head librarian of the Magnus Memorial Library. It’s _-ahem-_ nice to meet you as well.” Jonathan looked from Martin’s outstretched hand to his clothes, barely concealing a look of distaste.

Martin tilted his head in confusion and looked down at himself, embarrassed to see his hands and clothes completely caked in mud, wood chippings, and sap. “Oh! S-sorry. Heh, I should’ve cleaned up a bit before coming here.” He quickly retracted his hand and attempted to wipe the muck onto his sullied jeans. “But I actually came because I found something on my farm and Tim had said you might be able to identify it?”

He searched his pockets and pulled out the small plastic bag, holding it up for Jonathan to see. “It kind of looks like gold? I found it while deweeding the field and it was just sitting there on the ground. When I moved in the farm was a mess, still is if I’m being honest. But, um, it’s coming along nicely and I noticed the garden outside has some weeds. If I ever have some free time and stop by to help clean up. If that’s okay, I mean.” Jonathan hummed, clearly not paying attention to Martin’s rambling, and took the bag, holding it up close to look at it before turning and leaving the room.

Martin’s eyes widened and he followed suits, watching as the librarian strode over to the front desk. He approached the desk and watched as they placed a square of cloth onto the wooden surface and carefully removed the mineral from the plastic bag, laying it right in the center. Martin wondered how they’d be able to test if it’s real or not. Maybe they had a book with different rocks and minerals they’d consult to see- 

“Wait!” Martin watched helplessly as Jonathan pulled out a hammer and slammed it onto the mineral, effectively shattering it to pieces that flew in different directions on the table. He felt his face heat up as his head shot up to the librarian who’d started to polish off his hammer. “Why- What did you do _that_ for?”

“That was’nt gold.” They said flatly. “That was pyrite, a type of mineral mainly composed of iron and sulfide that has similar physical qualities to gold but is, in the end, rather worthless. One method to tell the difference between this and gold is to strike it with a hammer: if it flattens then it’s gold, if it shatters then it’s pyrite or most commonly referred to as fool’s gold.”

“Oh,” Martin said as he watched them brush the shattered pieces of pyrite back into the plastic baggy. He huffed out a laugh and self consciously rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, it looks like I’m the fool then, heh. Thanks for checking for me. Sucks that it’s not real gold but at least I got to learn something new today.” 

“Hm, yes.” Jonathan said, their voice not quite as cold as it had been before. “You’re welcome. Though pyrite doesn’t have much monetary value, it’s still an interesting mineral. If you ever find more or anything similar please let me know. My predecessor had been working on a museum of sorts for the library but she never got it up and running before she retired. I plan on following out her plan but I’ve been too busy to actually find anything of note to display,” they explained as they gestured to the back room that Martin had found them in before.

“Oh yeah, that sounds cool. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for anything.” Martin smiled, taking back the bag of now smashed fool’s gold. He stood there awkwardly as he and Jonathan stared at each other, the silence of the library quickly becoming deafening to Martin’s ears. “Well! Thanks again and I’ll see you around!” He shouted, turning on his heel and heading out the door before Jonathan was able to react.

* * *

“Ha! ‘Looks like I’m the fool then’, Martin you’re adorable,” Tim said as he placed a plate of pasta on the bar in front of Martin. “Hey it could’ve been worse, at least Jon didn’t hate you right off the bat. I swear, the first time I met him he actively avoided me for a week, said something about me being too loud in his library or something.”

Martin huffed out a laugh as he scarfed down his food, “I mean you _were_ kinda loud when we first met.” Martin stared down at his plate, lost in his thoughts as Tim scoffed went on about how he can’t help being so boisterous. Jonathan Sims. Jon Sims. _Jon_ Martin turned the name over in his head a million times, sounding it out, taking it apart, putting it back together. 

He wondered if Jon would mind if he called him Jon. Did everyone else call them that or was that something personally between them and Tim. Them and Tim… was there something going on between them? Or them with anyone else in town? “Hey do you know if Jon’s-” Martin’s words spilled out of his mouth before his brain could catch up. Why did he want to know if they were in a relationship or not? Well he _knew_ why but he’d just met them, he could at least have the decency of getting to know them before falling head over heels for them. “...been working on the library’s museum for long? It sounds like a cool idea but it looked sorta empty when I saw it.”

“Yeah, poor bastard got stuck with it after the old librarian dipped out of nowhere. She’d been working there for as long as I remember, Jon started working there full time a few years back, and suddenly she decided to retire and leave town. Last I heard she’s traveling the world or something. She didn’t even leave Jon with a cohesive plan for the museum or anything so he’s been having to do it all on his own.”

Martin frowned at Jon’s plight, “Well, they- he, um…”

“Oh, Jon uses both. He/they I mean.”

“Ah, thanks Tim.” Martin said appreciatively, “They said if I ever found anything like fool’s gold again I could stop by and drop it off to help expand their collection.”

Tim whistled lowly and leaned his elbows against the counter, his eyebrows dancing as he looked at Martin. “Well then, you better keep an eye out then, you wouldn’t want to keep him waiting.” he said with a wink.

Martin nearly choked on the last of his pasta and he felt heat creeping up and settling in his cheeks. “I- I, um, I mean I _will_ to, you know, help Jon out with the museum.” He stared down at his now empty plate and stood up abruptly. “Thanks for the meal, Tim. Yummy as always! See you!” 

“Hey! You didn’t pay!” Tim yelled after him, a sly smile still plastered on his face.

“Just start a tab for me! Thanks!” Martin replied, already out the door. Tim was clearly able to pick up on Martin’s feelings and he didn’t want to stick around in case he said something to embarrass himself further.

The sun was just starting its descent in the sky as Martin walked on the old cobblestone path back to his new home. _His new home_ He sighed as he kicked a stray stone out of his way. The farm itself was still far from ready to start actually farming, but if his Great Uncle Glenn was confident that he could do it, then he'd at least try. Martin smiled at the thought, starting to feel pangs of loss for someone he didn’t even know. 

_It won’t be that bad,_ Martin thought, _I mean, at least the people here are nice._ The rest of the journey home felt like walking on air, his mind filled with the scent of old books and his focus wandering around the area around himself, looking out for anything to catch his eye and send him back to the grouchy adorable librarian and their sparse museum in progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love gnc Jon with all my heart <3
> 
> Welp, this fic is done but the series is far from it! I planned on this being more of an introductory fic for this series so look forward to more in the future. Thanks so much to everyone who's been commenting and leaving kudos, y'all are the real mvps <3

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is just the beginning of this cute little series so look forward to more!


End file.
